


maybe we’re crazy (or just plain stupid)

by priorwalter



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Cats, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21525835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/priorwalter/pseuds/priorwalter
Summary: It’s hard, being apart from Andrew.It’s not the first year they’ve been apart. Neil’s fifth year at Palmetto was spent usually alone and always lonely. It felt less terrible, though, when he was at home at PSU. This year, he is in New York to play for the Rebels while Andrew plays in Nashville. The distance feels incomprehensibly larger.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 3
Kudos: 121
Collections: AFTG Discord Telephone Round 1





	maybe we’re crazy (or just plain stupid)

**Author's Note:**

> This was for telephone in the AFTG RBB discord. I think mine was the fourth fic? anyway it was really fun thanks Syd for organizing it! Title from 5748 km by Lisa Leblanc. I don’t usually like posting tiny ficlets like this but I thought this one wasn’t bad! I hope you enjoy.

It’s hard, being apart from Andrew.

It’s not the first year they’ve been apart. Neil’s fifth year at Palmetto was spent usually alone and always lonely. It felt less terrible, though, when he was at home at PSU. This year, he is in New York to play for the Rebels while Andrew plays in Nashville. The distance feels incomprehensibly larger. 

They spent a precious month together during June. It was between Neil’s graduation and when he had to leave for New York, and he misses it like a limb. Now, Neil is watching Andrew play on TV and trying to ignore the ache in his chest. It’s a habit he picked up within the first week of the regular season, and Andrew would kill him if he knew about it. 

Neil’s teammates invited him out to celebrate their win from the night before, but he turned it down; the allure of seeing Andrew for just a few hours more through the TV was too strong. He feels pathetic.

He misses Andrew.

After the game, Neil’s phone rings, as usual. He answers it and says, “Good game.” 

Andrew pauses for an uncomfortably long time. “Lillian posted a picture of your team having dinner,” he says, referring to one of Neil’s teammates. “You are not in the photo.”

Neil sighs. “I didn’t feel like going out.” 

“Why?”

Neil huffs. “Why do I need a reason?” He knows Andrew will probe it out of him sooner or later, but the sharp pain of longing is fresh in his chest and he wants to be difficult. 

“Don’t be difficult,” Andrew says, as if reading Neil’s mind. His voice is a smidge softer than before. “What is wrong.” 

Neil lies down, stretching his legs out on the sofa. “Nothing.”

“Stop finding different ways to tell me you’re fine,” Andrew pushes. “Why are you turning into a recluse?” 

Neil sighs, and then sighs again. “I wanted to watch your game.” Andrew doesn’t reply, but Neil knows he is rolling his eyes. “I wanted to watch you play.” 

“If you want to watch me through a screen, we can FaceTime. You don’t have to put your life on hold to watch my games,” Andrew snaps, though it’s not in a rude way; it’s just Andrew. 

Neil whines, and Andrew scoffs at the sound. Neither man says anything for a long time until Neil whispers, “I miss you.”

Andrew exhales carefully and does not reply. Neil hears clicking over the line for a few minutes before, “I just booked you a flight down here for the weekend.”

“What?”

“Don’t be stupid.”

The relief Neil feels is immediate and overwhelming. The mere thought of seeing Andrew in person is a soothing balm for Neil’s stormy thoughts. “Any particular reason?” He asks, and he imagines Andrew’s face twisting in annoyance. 

“Because you are pathetic.” 

Neil grins. “If you flew me down to Nashville every time I missed you, you’d be broke in a month. There has to be another reason.”

Andrew takes a moment to consider his words. Or, Neil thinks so; the silence feels heavy. Then: “My new therapist thinks I should get a cat.”  
  


“And you want to do it?” Neil’s smile widens.  
  


“You are coming to the shelter with me,” Andrew says with almost undetectable dread in his voice.

“I want to name it,” Neil declares. 

Andrew lets out a sound that could be a laugh. “No.”

“Come on, Drew—” 

“No.”

****

The cats at the shelter are cute, friendly, and crowing for attention. Well, all except two. Naturally, Andrew and Neil beeline toward them. The man showing them around the cats’ playroom tries to stop them, but Andrew silences him with a look.

After a staring match between Andrew and one of the cats, Neil asks, “What are their names?”

The man, whose nametag says Luke, says, “The calico one is Creature and the black one is Lucy. They’re not from the same litter, but they can only be adopted together.” He pauses and glances at Andrew for a moment before continuing, “They’re very prickly, you can’t touch them or you’ll get scratched.”

Andrew stands close enough to the cats that Lucy hisses at him, but once he stops advancing toward them, she calms down. Creature even leans forward to sniff at him. 

“Her name will have to be changed,” Andrew murmurs, slowly moving his hand toward Creature’s face. He stops before he can get too close, instead waiting for her to sniff him. 

“They can’t be separated?” Neil asks Luke.

He nods. “We’ve tried, but they don’t react well. They’re always together; it would be detrimental for them to be separated.”

Neil thinks about that as he watches Creature turn away from Andrew and curl up against Lucy’s side. Andrew looks back at Neil and narrows his eyes at Neil’s likely lovesick look. Neil sticks his tongue out, and Andrew rolls his eyes. Something in Neil’s chest settles.

(They get the cats.)

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me at jonathansimz.tumblr.com.


End file.
